Book-rest.



avwewfoz E. H. BANCROFT.

BOOK REST.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, I916.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

I 'IIIII/I/d m: mmms PETERS co.. PHom-u'mou \vAsmNcruN, n c,

EDWARD sanonorr, or -.eiaooknrn, new roan.

BOOK-BEST.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented lFeBlb. 113, 1917..

Application filed. February 25, 1916. Serial No. 89,324.

ToaZZ whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. BANCROFT,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Rests, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in book-rests, and refers. particularly to a device of this character adapted to prevent unnecessary strain upon the eyes of the user.

One object of my invention is a book-rest adapted to hold a book, or similar object, at any desired angle to, or any distance from, the table or desk upon which it is mounted.

Another object of my invention is a bookrest which can be readily and quickly adapted to hold or retain a book of any held by my device.

eyes of the user.

Other objects of my invention will be evident upon a consideration of my specification and accompanying drawings.

It is frequently essential that a book, drawingboard, or similar object, should be held in a fixed position for consultation or use, without the assistance of the user, as in the case of copying or transcribing the contents ofa book, or in making drawings,

paintings, sketches, &c., and in order that this may be accomplished without undue strain upon the eyes it is necessary that the angle of the book, or othervobject, be in the correct position ;as to the position of the It is evident from the many uses to which such objects areemployed, that there isno general or universal position which will be properly applicable to all cases, and. that it is necessary. therefore, that the object must It is further evident that .two essential elements enter into the proper solution of the problem, the angle of the book with re spect to the surface upon which the operator is working, and its height therefrom, while in the case of drawing boards, the position of the artist must be considered.

It is therefore necessary that a book-rest to meet these requirements must have a vertical movement and a pivotal movement, that both of these two positions must be readily changed to meet the individual need and must be capable of rigid retention, and must be capable of holding books and objects of various thicknesses. 7

My invention accomplishes all of these requirements in a simple, economical and effective manner, and its use allows the retention of a book, or similar object, in any position of visual requirement, thus causing the prevention of eye-strain with its accompanyingdisorders. It is adapted to inclined or horizontal surfaces, and may be readily attached to the arm of a chair by any well-known means. 7

One form of my device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which similar parts are designated by similar numerals.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a cross-section through the line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view in the direction of the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, partly broken away.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section through the line 4.4i of Fig. 1, the leaf-retaining members being removed.

The two side frame members 5. 5 are connected at their upper portions by the top member 6, and are each pivotally attached to the bottom connecting member 7 by means of the hinges 8. 8. The bottom connecting member 7 connects the two side bottom members 9. 9 at one end, the other end of the two side bottom members 9. 9 being connected by the member 10, the whole acting as a bottom or rest for my device, to allow of its being upheld upon a horizontal surface such as a table or desk 11. Pivotally attached to the underside of each of the members 5. 5 by means of the hinges 12. 12aresupporting members 13.13, pointed or chamfered at their. lower ends to fit within the notches 14. 14: upon the upper sides of the members 9. 9 to support the frame 5. 5. 6. 7 at any desired angle with respect to the horizontal surface 11.; The hinges 8 and. 19. are so situated, and the members 5. 5 and 13. 13 are of such lengths, with respect to each other, that the members 13. 13 may be folded under the members 5. 5 and the frame 5. 5. 6. 7 may be" folded downwardly to rest upon the bottom members 9. 9, thus causing acompactpack age for shipment or storage. V

A series of arms 15. 15 are pivotally'at tached at 16. 16 to the bottom connecting member 7, so that they may be revolvect above the bottom of the device when it is' desired to place 1t upon'a flat surface at a distance from the edge thereof, or may be revolved to a position in which they eXtend below'the bottom of the device. When the arms 15. 15 are in this last-mentioned po si j tion, the device may be placed upon a table or desk .with the arms 15. 15 extending downwardly and abutting against the'jedge of the table or desk, thus preventing the accidental displacement ofthe device. Situated uponthe inner surfaces of'tlie frame members 5. 5, and extending slightly over the front and rear surfaces thereof, is ii-me tallic member 17. 17, of channel shape and attached thereto by means of the screws 181 18. 'lhe'menib'ei's 17. 17' have a series or holes 191 19;fin alinement with 'correspbiid ingholes within the members 5; 5, the holes" upon one member 5 being inalineinent with the corresponding holes in the other member 5; The object of the metallic members 175 17 is to prevent undue wear upon themem hers-5. 5. v

A book supporting carriage is movably mounted to the frame 5. 5'. 6. 7. Thisjcarriage comprises two tubular membersel. 21, within each of which is 'a slidabl'epin 22of such a size and shapeas to allow ofentrance into the holes 19. 19 and retainment therei'ni Each of the pins 22. 22,'has" a collar 23 fiX- edly attached thereto a distance from"tl1e outer-end 0f the pin 22 and slidable* within Theinner' end of each p111 22 extends through an opeii'mg 'in' the tubular member 21'.

the tubular member 21', and has fixedly marshal thereto the sonar at; with finger catch 25." A helical resilient pring" 26, surrounds the pin 22fa'nfd abuts upon the collar 23 and'the member 36 which isfixedlt attached s the msn'ib'er 2i. Acurvedin'et'allic member 27, supported upon the tubular members 21. 21, has it 'lo erportion 28 ex tended outwardly at a right angle t'othe frame members 5. 5 andparries hn 'er ngatea opening 29 for purp'oses to be described later:

Movably mounted upon the extended" me1nber28, are"devic'es for retainifi'gahe leaves 'ofa b'ook in openposition, comprising square shaft 33, and-the resilient spring '34;

so situatedthat it will retain the finger "32 in either a horizontal or perpendicular p'os'i tion'by its 'pres'sureupah a Hat surface tithe holes 19. 19,' and allowing-free' movement of the carriage. When-it has been situated inits' de'si're'd height thepins 22; 22 are'im sci-ted into the-heles 19.-'19 by releasing the finger catches 25. 25. The'leafretaining members 32. 32 are 'tllen placed in a'he l'izontal position, the beak placed 'upright upon the'carri'agemember 31, the back of the-hook resting upon tliaflff'ztihe, and themember 31,? with its attached parts slidably moved forward andhackwardhntil suited for the thicliiiess of the particular 'bhok, and

locked by means of tlie'se't' screw 35. The leaf retainers 32. 32 are then raised wavertical position, thus retalining the book in an open pdsition. It is evident that'by this device the book need not be raised or re: moved when it is desired to turn a leaf flas this'can' be accomplished by lowerilig the leaf retainers 32. 32;: turhinggtiieleaf and" raisihg'themaf retainers 32:: 32th an u right pcssitionr I "do not limit 'myselrtd thenumher; size,

shape or arrangement ofparts as" shown, all

ofwvhi-cirniay Bevan-ed withhut goin heyond the scope of myinvention 'as described ai'l'd hlaimedr What is claimed, is:

1; In a device of the charadter specifiedg in combination; a hase;- a: frameivotaliy at tached to thesb'aseg meaIlS"11p'(ifithe g'two up right "sides of the "frame for supporting a boolr carryin g member and in" aliiiernent witlretich othei 'a' booth-carrying member" sliclahle upon the frame; saidhhok carrying member'carryihg spri g pressed means fdr upon the frame and releasing it th'erefrom; allhw'ihgslidahie mevement thereof,

frainc wh en the sprin'g "is in" normal pesi tion; a 'meinher 11pon thehook-carryihgmam:

open position; and a member fcrihaintaifimg; thgfraime at' anydes red angle"of position with 'respect'tothebase.

in combination,- a base, a fi ame ivotaiiy at:

tacheelf to the base, hh'les Within the 'two' upright sides of the framean'd in "alinement" with: each other," a hookc'arryiirg"member Within thefiraine and sliciab'le therein, said: book-'ca'rrying'member"carrying pifis 'c'aqpa' maintainin 'it' up'o'n the supporting "means said member bein nhaihtaineri upon the her for retaining a superimposedhbok in ble of movable placement within the holes of the frame to maintain the book-carrying member at any desired position therein, and spring means for placing the pins Within said holes and allowing their removal there from, said pins being maintained Within the holes When the spring is in its normal condition, said book-carrying member carrying a member for retaining a superim- 10 posed book in open position, and a member for maintaining the frame at any desired angle of position with respect to the base.

Signed at New York city, in the county and State of New York, this 28rd day of February 1916.

EDWARD H. BANOROFT.

Witnesses:

G. 1-1. RAYMOND, RITA LYNCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

